The file tells how to handle things like permalinks and security measures. Unfortunately, this file can get corrupted for various reasons, leading to issues like broken links or a white screen of death.

Our experience in the WordPress industry has taught us that editing the file can be tricky, especially for beginners. But don’t worry, we’ll teach you how to access the file easily and make changes to resolve any issue.

In this article, we’ll walk you through how to fix the WordPress .htaccess file.

Here is a quick overview of everything we will cover in this guide. You can click the links below to jump to any section:

What Is the .htaccess File?

The .htaccess file is a hidden configuration file that plays a vital role in how your WordPress site operates. It’s essentially a set of instructions for the Apache web server, the software that is typically run by your WordPress hosting.

One of its core functions is creating user-friendly URLs for your blog posts and pages. These are the clean and descriptive addresses you see in your browser bar instead of long, cryptic strings.

You can also use a .htaccess file to set up security measures like password-protecting certain directories or blocking access attempts from suspicious IP addresses.

Besides that, some plugins use .htaccess to implement caching, which can improve your site’s loading speed.

That said, let’s look at some of the signs that’d tell your .htaccess file needs fixing.

How to Tell If Your .htaccess File Is Corrupted

The .htaccess file might become corrupted for a few reasons. It could be due to a plugin conflict, accidental edits, or even a server glitch.

Here are some signs you might notice on your WordPress site that suggest the .htaccess file is broken:

• Broken links: A broken link occurs when the user is not taken anywhere, or they see strange error messages.
• White screen of death: This is when your website displays nothing but a blank white screen.
• Plugins not working properly: Some plugins rely on specific instructions in the .htaccess file to function correctly, but due to an error, they don’t perform as they’re intended.

Now, let’s look at different ways you can access and edit the .htaccess file in WordPress.

How to Access and Fix .htaccess File in WordPress

The .htaccess file is located in the root directory of your website. There are different ways to access and edit the file.

For instance, you can use the hosting provider’s cPanel and access the file using the File Manager. You can also connect to your site using an FTP client and view different files and folders. Another way is to use a plugin to view and edit the .htaccess file content.

Let’s look at each of these methods in detail.

1. Fix .htaccess File using File Manager or FTP Client

If you’re unable to access the WordPress dashboard, then you can use a File Manager or FTP service to locate the .htaccess file.

To start, you can open cPanel of your WordPress hosting service. For example, in Bluehost, you can open the website settings.

After that, you’ll need to switch to the ‘Advanced’ tab.

From here, scroll down to the ‘cPanel’ option and click the ‘Manage’ button.

Once the cPanel opens, you can navigate to the ‘Files’ section.

Go ahead and click the ‘File Manager’ option.

Next, you will see different files and folders on your website.

The .htaccess file is located in the public_html folder. Simply open the folder from the menu on the left and scroll down to find the .htaccess file.

You can then right-click the .htaccess file and select the ‘Edit’ option to fix any issues.

Note: If you cannot find your .htaccess file, then see our guide on how to find the .htaccess file in WordPress.

Next, a popup will open, warning you to back up the original file before editing. Go ahead and click the ‘Edit’ button.

On the next screen, you will see the .htaccess file editor.

Here, you can make changes and fix the file. For example, you can check for any typos, incorrect syntax, or incompatible code that can cause errors.

Alternatively, using an FTP (file transfer protocol) client is another option for accessing the file.

You can find the file in the root directory. Simply right-click the .htaccess file and click the ‘View/Edit’ option.

If you haven’t used FTP before, then please see our guide on how to use FTP to upload files to WordPress.

Next you can edit the file in notepad software on your computer.

Once you’ve fixed the .htaccess file, you can upload it back to the root directory using the FTP service.

2. Fix the .htaccess File Using a Plugin

If you’re able to view the WordPress dashboard, then another way of accessing and editing the .htaccess file is by using a plugin like All in One SEO (AIOSEO).

It is the best SEO plugin for WordPress. It helps you optimize your site for search engines without any technical knowledge. The plugin offers various tools, including a robots.txt editor, a .htaccess editor, database tools, and more.

To start, you’ll need to install and activate the AIOSEO plugin. If you need help, then please see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, you will see the welcome screen and AIOSEO setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the onscreen instructions.

For more details, please see our guide on how to set up All in One SEO for WordPress correctly.

Next, you can head to All in One SEO » Tools from the WordPress admin panel and switch to the ‘.htaccess Editor’ tab to edit the file’s contents.

Once you’ve made changes and fixed the file, simply click the ‘Save Changes’ button at the top.

Common Issues to Fix in WordPress .htaccess File

Now that you know where to find the .htaccess file and how to edit it, let’s look at different issues you can fix in the file.

1. Fixing 500 Internal Server Error

A 500 internal server error in WordPress is a general error message that indicates the server encountered an unexpected problem and couldn’t fulfill your request. It’s like a cryptic message from your website saying something went wrong, but it doesn’t give specific details about what.

The error message also looks different depending on the web server software (Nginx or Apache) your site uses. For example, here’s how it looks when using Ngnix and Google Chrome.

This error can be caused by a corrupted .htaccess file. You can fix the error by replacing the existing file with a new one.

Simply access your website’s root folder using an FTP client. Then, rename the current .htaccess file so it’s available as a backup and WordPress cannot recognize it. After that, create a new file in the directory and name it a ‘.htaccess’ file.

Now, open the new file and edit it.

Go ahead and enter the following code in the file:

# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress

For more details, please see our complete guide on how to fix the 500 internal server error in WordPress.

2. Fixing Error Too Many Redirects Issue

The ‘Error too many redirects’ usually occurs due to a misconfigured redirection issue in WordPress. This leads to a redirection loop, and you’ll see this error in the web browser.

One of the to fix this issue is by resetting the .htaccess file in the root directory.

First, you’ll need to visit the root directory of your site using an FTP client or File Manager. Next, locate the .htaccess file and delete it. Now, try visiting your website to see if the redirect error is fixed.

Since you just removed the .htacess file, you’ll need to recreate it. WordPress automatically creates one for you. To make sure it does, simply visit the Settings » Permalinks page from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Save Changes’ button at the bottom.

To learn more ways to fix the issue, please see our guide on how to fix error too many redirects issue in WordPress.

3. Fixing Posts Returning 404 Error

Another issue you can fix through the .htaccess file is the posts returning 404 errors. Usually, a corrupted or missing .htaccess file can cause this error.

To resolve this issue, you’ll need to update the file from the root directory and change the file permissions. Simply locate the file using an FTP client, right-click the file, and then select the ‘File permissions’ option.

Next, you will see different settings to change for the .htaccess file.

Go ahead and make the file writeable by changing its permissions and entering ‘666’ into the ‘Numeric value’ box. Once that’s done, click on the ‘OK’ button.

For more ways to fix the issue and complete steps, you may want to see our guide on how to fix WordPress posts returning 404 error.

There are many other errors that can occur on your site, and you might need to fix the .htaccess file. See our complete list of the most common WordPress errors and how to fix them.

Bonus: Hire a WordPress Support Agency

Working with a .htaccess file can be tricky because it sometimes involves editing code, and accessing the file can be stressful for beginners.

This is where a WordPress maintenance and support agency can help you out. You can hire WordPress experts who can fix the .htaccess file and handle everything for you.

For example, we offer Premium WordPress Support Services. For a one-time fee, our experts can fix errors and other issues on your website, including problems with .htaccess.

Alternatively, if you are looking for ongoing help, then our WPBeginner Pro Maintenance Services could be a better fit.

We have over 16 years of experience, having helped 100,000+ users with WordPress and fixing their sites.

Our team of professionals is available 24/7 to ensure your site functions properly. We will check whether the .htaccess file is correctly configured or what needs to be fixed so that your visitors have a great website experience.

You will also get access to core maintenance tasks like backups, security updates, plugin troubleshooting, theme customization, and on-demand support. 

You can also get other services for your WordPress website. See our complete list of WPBeginner Pro Services.

Additional Resources for the WordPress .htaccess File

• How to Stop WordPress From Overwriting .htaccess File
• How to Limit Access by IP to Your wp-login.php file in WordPress
• Most Useful .htaccess Tricks for WordPress
• How to Redirect a Page or URL in WordPress (2 Methods)
• How to Fix Fatal Error: Maximum Execution Time Exceeded in WordPress

We hope this article helped you learn how to fix the WordPress .htaccess file. You may also want to see our guide on eCommerce maintenance tips and our expert pick of the best WordPress support agencies.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Fix the WordPress .htaccess File (Beginner’s Guide) first appeared on WPBeginner.

It sounds scary, but in our years of experience, it happens more often than you might think. Website downtime and data loss can be devastating.

This is where a WordPress disaster recovery plan comes in. It’s like an insurance policy for your website, ensuring you can quickly recover from any unexpected event.

In this guide, we will show you how to make a WordPress disaster recovery plan.

Why Do You Need a WordPress Disaster Recovery Plan?

Even though WordPress is a powerful and popular platform, unexpected events can still take down your website. A WordPress disaster recovery plan acts like a roadmap for restoring your website.

Here’s why it’s important to have one:

• Minimizes Downtime and Data Loss: Disasters can strike in many forms, from hacking attacks to accidental deletion of files. A recovery plan helps you get your WordPress site back up and running quickly, minimizing the amount of time your site is unavailable.
• Protects Your Reputation: A WordPress website outage can damage your reputation and erode user trust. A disaster recovery plan allows you to address the issue quickly and restore the user’s confidence.
• Ensures Business Continuity: If your website is important for your business, then a disaster recovery plan lowers the disruption to your operations. By getting your site back online quickly, you can limit revenue loss.

That said, let’s look at how to create a disaster recovery plan. You can click the links below to move to any step:

Step 1. Analyze Weak Areas of Your WordPress Site

Before you can protect your website, you need to know what you’re protecting it from. Start by thinking about the potential disasters that could impact your website.

For instance, server crashes, power outages, plugin conflicts, corrupted databases, and WordPress errors can temporarily make your site unavailable to users or restrict the user experience.

You can start by enabling the debug mode, checking the WordPress error logs, and then fixing each issue.

Another risk you need to consider is hackers trying to steal your data, inject malicious code, or hold your website hostage for ransom. Accidentally deleting important files, installing incompatible updates, or falling for phishing scams can also cause disasters.

You can try to find vulnerabilities and weak areas on your site that hackers can target. This involves out-of-date plugins, WordPress core files, themes, weak passwords, and more.

It is also a best practice to document everything on your site. This includes website login details, plugin and theme settings, custom code snippets, hosting account information, and emergency contact information for your hosting provider, security experts, or web developers.

You can also use a cloud storage service or a password manager to keep your documentation safe and accessible. This way, if something goes wrong, you can recover important information in an instant.

Step 2. Regularly Back Up Your WordPress Site

Once you’ve highlighted the weak areas, the next thing to do is back up all the important elements on your site. These include blog posts, landing pages, images, videos, theme files, customer information, comments, plugins, themes, CSS files, and more.

The easiest way to create WordPress backups is to use a plugin like Duplicator Pro. It is super easy to use for creating backup packages, along with migrating and cloning your site.

The WordPress backup plugin also includes more features like scheduled backups, recovery points, cloud storage integration, migration tools, and more.

You can also manually backup your site’s data using an FTP client, the File Manager in your hosting company’s cPanel or dashboard, or the phpMyAdmin panel.

For step-by-step details, please see our guide on how to back up your WordPress website.

With a fresh copy of your site ready, you can easily restore WordPress from the backup anytime a disaster occurs. This way, you can prevent data loss and get your site up and running in no time.

Step 3. Monitor WordPress Web Server Uptime

Another important tool to have in your disaster recovery plan is a server uptime monitor. Uptime is when your website is available to users on the Internet without any interruption.

These tools will monitor your site’s server and inform you whenever it’s down. If something goes wrong with your site, they will notify you immediately by email or SMS, allowing you to fix it as soon as possible.

For example, you can use UptimeRobot to monitor uptime. The best part is that it is free, but you can also sign up for its premium plans to receive alerts via SMS, voicemail, email, and other channels.

For more uptime monitoring tools, you can follow our guide on how to monitor your WordPress website server uptime.

If you experience an outage or server downtime, then you’ll immediately know. The next step would be to clear the cache and DNS cache to see if your site is restored. Or you can reach out to your web hosting provider for assistance and ensure your site is back up and running.

Step 4. Strengthen Your Website Security

A secure website is a website that’s less likely to experience disasters in the first place. In a WordPress disaster recovery plan, you can strengthen your site’s security by:

• Choosing Strong Passwords: Use unique and complex passwords for all your website accounts. If you experience a disaster, then it’s critical that you replace all the passwords with new and strong ones.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication: You should enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security for all your logins.
• Keep Everything Updated: Regularly update your WordPress core, plugins, and themes to patch security vulnerabilities. In case something goes wrong, ensure that you update your plugins, themes, and core files after recovering from a backup.
• Use WordPress Security Plugins: Install WordPress security plugins like Sucuri to scan for malware, block suspicious activity, and monitor your website’s security.
• Add a Web Application Firewall (WAF): In addition to a security plugin, you should also use a WAF on your site. It will prevent malicious traffic from reaching your site and causing a disaster.

For more security tips, please see our ultimate guide to WordPress security.

Step 5. Hire a WordPress Maintenance & Support Service

Another important part of your disaster recovery plan should be hiring WordPress experts who can fix problems quickly and restore your website.

There are many WordPress maintenance services you can choose from. They provide regular backups, monitor your site’s uptime, provide 24/7 support, optimize your site for speed, and help recover your website from any sort of disaster.

For instance, WPBeginner Pro Maintenance Services is the best support agency you can use for your website. We have over 15 years of experience in the industry and have helped more than 100,000 users with WordPress.

We will also ensure that your WordPress core, plugins, and themes are always up-to-date and that the latest updates won’t negatively affect your website’s performance.

Besides basic website maintenance, there are other services you can also get. These include website design, SEO services to boost traffic, speed optimization, emergency support, and more.

See the complete list of WPBeginner Pro Services.

Step 6. Test Your Disaster Recovery Plan

You won’t know how effective your WordPress disaster recovery plan is unless you actually test it.

For instance, you can simulate a disaster and test your plan by restoring your website from a backup to a local or staging environment. This will ensure that your backups are up to date or the scheduled backups are working correctly.

In case there is an error while restoring the backup or you feel an important element is missing in the backup files, then you can fix it during the simulation.

You should also ensure that your website is functioning correctly, all your data is intact, and everything is working as it should.

We hope this article helped you learn how to make a WordPress disaster recovery plan. You may also want to see our guide on how to contact WordPress support and eCommerce maintenance tips – how maintain your store.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Make a WordPress Disaster Recovery Plan (Expert Tips) first appeared on WPBeginner.

A classified ads website is an online marketplace where users can post ads for things they want to sell, buy, or trade. This could be anything from used furniture and clothes to cars, apartments, or even services like lawn mowing or pet sitting.

In this article, we will show you how to easily make a classified ads website in WordPress, step by step.

Why Make a Classified Ads Website?

A classified ads website allows users to post ads for things that they may want to sell. Other people visiting your website can then use the details provided in that ad to contact the vendor and make a purchase.

You can set a specific commission upon purchase or charge users money to post an ad on your website. You can also allow users to add job postings like they’d find on Freelancer or Upwork.

Plus, you will be able to create a platform specifically catering to your local community’s needs for buying, selling, and finding jobs. You can even target a specific niche for classified ads, such as sports equipment or thrift clothing, to attract customers.

This will make it easy for users to buy or sell products right from the comfort of their homes and bring more traffic to your website.

Overall, building an ads website can be an easy way to earn money online.

Having said that, let’s take a look at how to easily create a classified ads website, step by step. Here is a summary of the steps we will cover in this tutorial:

Step 1: Choose a Website Builder

To start a classified ads website, you will first need to choose a website builder.

For this, we recommend WordPress because it is the best website builder on the market, used by over 43% of sites on the internet. It is free, easy to use, and super scalable.

However, you must keep in mind that there are two types of WordPress.

WordPress.com is a blog hosting platform, while WordPress.org is an open-source, self-hosted software. For details, see our comparison between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

For a classified ads website, you will need WordPress.org, which gives you complete creative freedom and can integrate with any classified ads plugin. To learn more, you can see our complete WordPress review.

Once you have chosen a website builder, it is time for you to purchase a hosting and domain name.

Step 2: Choose a Domain Name and Hosting For Your Website

A domain name is your website’s name on the internet, like LocalListing.com or www.TreasureTrove.com. This is the name that customers must type in their browser to reach your website.

On the other hand, hosting is where your website lives online and stores all its data. You can see our top picks for the best WordPress hosting services if you need help picking a provider.

Now, you will notice that even though WordPress is free, this is where your cost will start adding up. A domain name will cost you about $14.99/year while hosting costs start from $7.99/month.

If you are just starting out, then this can be a bit expensive.

Thankfully, Bluehost is offering a generous discount to WPBeginner readers along with a free domain name and SSL certificate. They are one of the largest companies in the world and an official WordPress-recommended hosting partner.

To get a discount on Bluehost, just click on the following button.

This will take you to the Bluehost website, where you have to click the ‘Get Started’ button.

You will now be taken to the pricing page. Here, you can select a plan according to your website’s requirements.

We recommend the Basic or Choice Plus plans as they are the most popular ones among our readers. Once you make a choice, just click the ‘Select’ button under a plan.

This will take you to another screen, where you can type in the domain name you plan to use for your classified ads website.

Keep in mind to choose a name that is specific to your niche and is easy to spell, pronounce, and remember. For ideas, you can see our beginner’s guide on how to choose the best domain name.

If that doesn’t help, then you can also try WPBeginner’s free Business Name Generator to come with a website title.

Then, go ahead and type the name and click the ‘Next’ button.

After that, you must add your account information, phone number, business email address, name, and country. You will also see a list of extras that you can buy with the hosting.

Then, type in your payment details to make the purchase. On doing that, you will receive a confirmation email with details to log in to your Bluehost dashboard.

This will be your control panel where you can easily manage your classified ads website.

Step 3: Make a New WordPress Website

Upon hosting purchase, it is now time for you to install WordPress. Keep in mind that if you sign up on Bluehost using our link above, then WordPress will be automatically installed for you.

However, if you plan to create a different website for your classified ads, then you can switch to the ‘Websites’ tab in the Bluehost dashboard. Then, click the ‘Add Site’ button.

You will now be taken to another screen to select a site type. As you are creating a completely new WordPress site, you must select the ‘Install WordPress’ option.

If you just want to migrate a WordPress site you have already created to another domain name, then you can choose the ‘Transfer an existing WordPress’ option. Once that is done, click the ‘Continue’ button.

Now, you must add a name for your classified ads website into the ‘Site Title’ field.

After that, click the ‘Continue’ button.

Bluehost will then ask you to connect to a domain name for your ads website.

However, if you haven’t purchased one yet, you can opt for the ‘Use a temporary domain’ option in the meantime. Remember to click the ‘Continue’ button to move forward.

Your WordPress site will now be installed for you and it can take a few minutes.

Once that is done, you will be redirected to the ‘Websites’ tab where you will notice your newly created website.

Go ahead and click the ‘Edit’ button to log in to your WordPress admin area.

If you want, you can also log in to your dashboard by visiting yoursite.com/wp-admin/ in the web browser. Just make sure to replace yoursite.com with your own domain name.

Step 4: Choose a Custom Theme

Once you visit your WordPress website, you will notice that the default theme has been activated on it.

A theme is basically a professionally designed template that controls how your website looks to the visitors.

However, to make a good impression and encourage users to post ads, it is a good idea to replace your default theme with one that matches your niche.

You can use any of the popular WordPress themes and customize them according to your liking.

Additionally, you can see our list of the best WordPress business themes to get more ideas. Once you choose a suitable one, see our tutorial on how to install a WordPress theme.

However, if you don’t like any of the themes, then you can use SeedProd instead. It is the best WordPress theme builder that allows you to create your own custom theme in just a few minutes.

You can easily design your pages using the drag-and-drop builder and premade templates offered by the plugin.

Upon activation, just visit the SeedProd » Theme Builder page from the WordPress dashboard and click on the ‘Theme Template Kits’ button.

This will take you to a new screen where you can browse the templates and select the one you like.

Doing this will launch the visual builder where you can customize the theme using blocks in the left column.

For details, see our tutorial on how to create a custom theme in WordPress.

On the other hand, if you have decided to use a conventional WordPress theme, then you must visit the Appearance » Customize page from the WordPress dashboard.

This will open the theme customizer, where you can change background colors, menu locations, site titles, and more.

However, if you are using a block theme, then you will have to visit the Appearance » Editor page to open the full site editor.

Here, you can drag and drop the blocks from the left column to customize your website. Once you are done, don’t forget to click the ‘Save’ button to store your settings.

For more information, see our tutorial on how to use the WordPress full site editor.

Step 5: Use the Business Directory Plugin to Build a Classified Ads Website

Now that you have customized the theme, it is time to set up your website to accept classified ads.

To do this, you will need the Business Directory Plugin, which is popular for creating a directory, setting up classified ads, organizing listings, and accepting payments.

First, you need to install and activate the Business Directory Plugin. For details, see our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Note: Business Directory Plugin has a free plan that you can use. However, to unlock some features like support for Stripe and PayPal, you may need the pro plan.

Upon activation, visit the Directory » Settings page from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you will notice a popup asking for permission to create some new pages on your website.

Go ahead and click the ‘Create required pages for me’ button. The plugin will now create a ‘Business Directory’ page where users can view different listings and submit their own.

Once you have done that, switch to the ‘Registration’ tab from the top.

You can now toggle the ‘Require login to post listings’ switch to ‘ON’ if you want users to have to register and log in on your website to submit their classified ad.

Then, you can add the URL for a login and registration page that you have created on your website. If you haven’t done so, then see our tutorial on how to create a custom login page in WordPress.

You can also disable the option if you want to allow anyone to submit listings. Next, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.

Now, you can switch to the ‘Listings’ tab from the left column.

Once there, you can configure the number of listings per page, select the default listing status, and more.

You can also take a look at all the other settings offered on this page.

For instance, you can switch to the ‘Searching’ tab and check the box next to the data that you want to make searchable. If you want users to browse ad listings based on a user’s email address, then you can select that field.

Expert Tip: If you are looking to improve search across your entire website, then we recommend using SearchWP. For more details, just see our tutorial on how to improve WordPress search.

After that, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.

Then, you have to switch to the ‘Payments’ tab.

Here, you can select a currency and add a payment message that will be displayed to users upon a successful transaction.

Next, switch to the ‘Authorize.net’ option and toggle the switch. This is the only payment method available in the free plan. If you are using a premium plan, then you will also be able to use PayPal, Stripe, or Payfast.

Now, go ahead and add your login ID and transaction key to connect the payment gateway with the plugin. Once you are done, click the ‘Save Changes’ button.

To start accepting classified ads on your website, you must visit the Directory » Directory Content page and switch to the ‘Form Fields’ tab from the left column.

This screen will now show a list of default fields that are added to the form users will need to submit with their ad details.

From here, you can rearrange the order of the form fields using the up and down arrow on the left side of each field.

You can also remove a field by clicking on the ‘Delete’ link. However, if you want to edit the field, then you can click the ‘Edit’ link.

This will open a new page where you can change the field label, switch its type, mark the field as mandatory, add an optional description, and more.

Once you are done, just click the ‘Update Field’ button to save your changes.

Then, you need to switch to the ‘Categories’ tab from the left column and click the ‘Add New Category’ button.

We recommend creating at least 4-5 categories for your ads. These will help users browse through your listings and also help you target specific niches.

For example, you can create different categories for sporting equipment, job postings, clothes, and more.

Clicking on the button will open a popup on the screen, where you can add a category name.

Then, click the ‘Add New Category’ button in the prompt to complete the process.

After that, you must switch to the ‘Plans’ tab, where you will notice that a free listing plan has already been added along with a paid plan with $1 for 365 days.

To change these settings, just click the ‘Edit’ link under one of the options.

Note: You can also add a completely new pricing plan by clicking the ‘Add New Plan’ button at the top.

This will take you to a new screen, where you can change the plans’ name, decide how long the listing can run with this plan, the number of images allowed, pricing, and more.

Once you are done, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.

Now that everything is set up, just visit the Business Directory page on your website, where you will notice a search form visitors can use to search for classified ads.

Similarly, if someone wants to submit a listing, then they can click the ‘Add Listing’ button.

This will direct them to a new screen, where they can add their listing title, description, website URL, email address, phone number, and zip code.

Once done, users can just click the ‘Complete Listing’ button to submit their ad.

Once users start submitting ads on your website, you will be able to view them by visiting the Directory » Directory Content page and switching to the ‘Listings’ tab.

Here, you will notice all the listings are set to ‘Pending Review.’ Now to make any changes, you can click the ‘Edit’ button.

This will open the block editor, where you can check all the listing details and add tags.

Once you are satisfied, just uncheck the ‘Pending Review’ option and click the ‘Publish’ button to make the classified ad live.

If you want, you can also add a classified listing yourself by clicking the ‘Add New Listing’ button on the ‘Listings’ page.

This will again open the block editor, where you can add all the details for the classified ad by yourself.

You have now successfully created a classified ads website.

If you need more information on the Business Directory Plugin features, then see our tutorial on how to make a web directory in WordPress.

Step 6: Create a Home Page and Navigation Menu

The Business Directory Plugin will create a specific page where users will be able to view your ad listings. It will also be named ‘Business Directory’, which can be misleading.

We recommend changing that name to something related to classified ads by visiting the Pages section and selecting the ‘Quick Edit’ option under that page.

After that, you need to add the classified ad listing page to your navigation menu to make it easy for users to browse through your ad listings and submit their own ads.

To do this, you need to visit the Appearance » Menus page and expand the ‘Pages’ tab from the left column. Here, you must check the ‘Classified Ad Listing’ option and click the ‘Add to Menu’ button.

After that, click the ‘Save Menu’ button to store your settings.

However, if you are using a block theme, then this method won’t work for you. To edit the menu in FSE, you must visit the Appearance » Editor page from the WordPress dashboard.

This will open the full site editor, where you must choose the ‘Navigation’ tab.

When you do that, a list of items currently present in the navigation menu will be displayed in the left column.

From here, you must click the pencil icon.

The full site editor will now open the menu section where you have to click the ‘Add Block’ (+) button next to the navigation menu items.

This will open a prompt, where you need to search for the plugin page with the name that you gave it. Once you find it, you can click on it to add it to the menu. Finally, click the ‘Save’ button at the top to store your settings.

For details, see our tutorial on how to add a navigation menu in WordPress.

Next, we recommend adding an attractive home page for your classified ads site. This will be the user’s introduction to your site and may decide whether they want to stay and explore or leave.

To help you with this, you can see our beginner’s guide on how to create a custom homepage in WordPress.

Once you have created an attractive page, you can easily set it as the home page by visiting the Settings » Reading page from the admin sidebar.

Now, select the ‘A static page’ option in the ‘Your homepage displays’ section. Next, open the ‘Homepage’ dropdown and choose the page you want to use.

Finally, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.

Step 7: Create a Contact Form With WPForms

Once you have set up all the pages, it is time for you to create and add a contact form.

This will provide a convenient way for users to get in touch with you if they have any questions about payment methods or classified listings. Plus, it can help you build an email list by capturing leads.

You can easily do this with WPForms, which is the best contact form plugin on the market.

It comes with a drag-and-drop builder, 1800+ premade templates, and complete spam protection. Plus, it offers a free plan if you are on a budget.

All you have to do is use the WPForms ‘Simple Contact Form’ template and then add it to any page or post using the WPForms block.

For detailed instructions, see our tutorial on how to create a contact form in WordPress.

If you want users to be able to contact you more quickly, then we recommend using a business phone service like Nextiva. It is easy to use, has a lot of features, and comes with reasonable pricing.

This will allow users to contact you directly through phone calls to ask questions or report an incident on your website, boosting the user experience.

You can even use Nextiva for adding live chat, CRM, online surveys, fax, and more. For details, see our tutorial on how to set up an auto attendant phone system for your website.

Step 8: Use AIOSEO to Boost Site Rankings

Now that you have finished customizing and adding features to your classified ads website, it’s time to focus on SEO. This will help you bring more traffic to the platform, boost brand awareness, and ultimately lead to more conversions.

You can do all of this using All in One SEO for WordPress.

It is the best SEO plugin on the market that has a beginner-friendly setup wizard to help you choose the best SEO settings for your website.

AIOSEO also offers features like a headline analyzer, XML sitemaps, schema generator, broken link checker, and more.

Plus, you can perform image SEO and connect your website with Facebook and Twitter. This will allow you to share important ads on your social media handles to attract visitors.

For more information, see our ultimate WordPress SEO guide.

Bonus: Use MonsterInsights For Site Analytics

Once you have optimized your site, we also recommend using MonsterInsights, which is the best analytics solution on the market.

This tool will help you see where your visitors are coming from and how they are interacting with the ads posted on your site.

You will also be able to identify how effective the classified ads are in driving conversions. Once you collect this real-time data with the help of the plugin, you can optimize your SEO strategies or try other hacks to boost traffic and generate leads.

Overall, MonsterInsights can help you make data-driven decisions to improve the user experience and potentially increase the effectiveness of your classified ads.

For details, see our step-by-step guide on WordPress conversion tracking.

We hope this article helped you learn how to make a classified ads website. You may also want to see our beginner’s guide on how to sell ads on your WordPress site and our top picks for the best WordPress plugins to grow your business.

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The post How to Make a Classified Ads Website with WordPress (Step by Step) first appeared on WPBeginner.